Beyond high-profile races in New Jersey, Virginia and New York City, Democrats found success around the country in Tuesday’s elections, including in areas previously dominated by Republicans. In Georgia, Democrats won two seats on the state’s five-member Public Service Commission, ousting two Republican incumbents, according to unofficial results. No Democrat has served on the utility regulatory board since 2007.
In Pennsylvania, voters retained three liberal justices on the state Supreme Court, preserving Democrats’ 5–2 majority on the state Supreme Court. In Bucks County, a Philadelphia suburb, Democrats notched broad local gains from county row offices to school boards, according to the Bucks County Courier Times.
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The Georgia races centered on rising electric bills, while Bucks County wins extended to school boards that were recent flashpoints.
What happened in Georgia’s utility races?
The Georgia races were seen as both a referendum on rising electric bills and a bellwether for 2026 statewide races, The New York Times reported. In the race for an Atlanta-area seat, Democrat Peter Hubbard defeated Republican incumbent Fitz Johnson. In the other race, Democrat Alicia Johnson unseated Tim Echols, a commissioner since 2011.
The commission had approved six Georgia Power rate increases in the last two years. While Republican leaders praised a subsequent deal to freeze base rates for three years, critics noted that customers would still be responsible for hundreds of millions in fuel and storm-damage costs. Rising energy prices and billions in nuclear generator cost overruns also drove the high bills.
The elections themselves were delayed by litigation over whether commissioners should be elected by district or statewide. They were the only races on the ballot across Georgia this year.
How did Pennsylvania’s high court shake out?
The retention of Justices Christine Donohue, Kevin Dougherty and David Wecht preserves a 5-2 Democratic majority on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, which has been central to redistricting and mail-in ballot disputes.
While retention races usually draw low turnouts, this election saw heightened attention, with spending over $15 million, according to Associated Press figures.
National figures weighed in, with President Donald Trump urging a “no” vote and former President Barack Obama and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro urging retention.
What changed in Bucks County, Pennsylvania?
Democrats saw sweeping victories in Bucks County, winning all four county judgeship races and unseating the incumbent Republican district attorney, sheriff, and other row-office holders, the Courier Times reported. The margins were significant, with most Democratic candidates winning by more than 20,000 votes.
Democrats retook control of two school boards in Bucks County that had been dominated by conservative Republicans. Democrats won all four open seats in Central Bucks and appeared to win three of four in the closely fought Pennridge races.
